Video: Bystanders come to aid of Worcester police officer pinned by his own cruiser

WORCESTER ― The Worcester police are investigating an incident caught on video in which an officer was pinned between his cruiser and a parked car in downtown Worcester.

It happened shortly before midnight Thursday, on Franklin Street, where police were sent to check out a report of a fight.

In a one-minute, 12-second video shot from the window of a nearby apartment complex and shared on Reddit, a cruiser is seen driving down Church Street toward Salem Square and taking a right onto Franklin Street.

As he makes the turn, two men are seen on Franklin Street, near the Worcester Common. One man appears to be out cold on the pavement, while the other man is on top of him.

The officer slows down and exits his cruiser, but the vehicle continues to roll forward. The officer then attempts to stop the cruiser by getting in front of it and pushing, but ends up pinned between his cruiser and a car parked on Franklin Street, near the intersection of Portland Street.

Two civilians are then seen running across the street to help the officer. One tries to push the cruiser off the officer, while the other gets into the cruiser and puts it into reverse.

Two officers also run to the scene.

When the officer is unpinned, the three officers go toward the two men on the ground. They take the man on top into custody, while the other is sprawled on the pavement, motionless. The man taken into custody, who is Anthony Watson, 37, of Worcester, can be heard yelling, “He’s drunk. He’s drunk” and “He threw a knife.”

In all, the officer was pinned for 20 seconds. The Worcester Police Department said he was not hurt and there was no damage to the cruiser.

Watson is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, while the victim was treated at the scene.

The incident is under investigation, according to police.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Video: Bystanders come to aid of Worcester police officer pinned by his own cruiser